Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587)

Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587), a French silver jeton, undated (c.1553), by Nicolas Emery, large letter M crowned, between two crowned thistles, MARIA DEI G SCOTOR REGINA, rev., crowned shield of the arms of Scotland, DELICIE DEI COR HVMILE, 28mm (MI 66/6; CP -). A pleasing example, good very fine, lightly toned and rare.

The royal permission to engrave this and another similar jeton, this with a crowned FM, the monogram of Francis and Mary, was granted to Nicolas Emery, on 3 January 1553/4 (see footnote to MI entry).

Provenance: Spink Auction 26 March, 2008 (lot 1); Spink Auction, 13 July 1999 (lot 733).